Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Study: Women's Desks Four Times More Dirty Than Men's
FOX ^ | 02/15/07 | Unknown

Posted on 02/15/2007 8:46:13 AM PST by Froufrou

Your office desk harbors far more bacteria than your workplace restroom, and if you're a woman, chances are your workspace has more germs than your male co-workers', a new research report shows.

Women have three to four times the number of bacteria in, on and around their desks, phones, computers, keyboards, drawers and personal items as men do, the study by University of Arizona professor Charles Gerba showed.

Gerba, a professor of soil, water and environmental sciences, tested more than 100 offices on the UA campus and in New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Oregon and Washington, D.C. The $40,000 study was commissioned by the Clorox Co.

"I thought for sure men would be germier," Gerba said. "But women have more interactions with small children and keep food in their desks. The other problem is makeup."

Don't get Gerba wrong: Women's desks typically looked cleaner. But the knickknacks are more abundant, and cosmetics and hand lotions make prime germ-transfer agents, Gerba said. Makeup cases also make for fine germ homes, along with phones, purses and desk drawers.

(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society
KEYWORDS:
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-80 ... 101-102 next last
To: Froufrou

OK...women are not clean, but are they articulate?


21 posted on 02/15/2007 8:59:57 AM PST by COUNTrecount
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Squawk 8888
Your office desk harbors far more bacteria than your workplace restroom

Well duh.....
Bathrooms in my office are sanitized daily with industrial strength disinfectant. The cubicles are dusted maybe once a week.
22 posted on 02/15/2007 9:00:10 AM PST by HOTTIEBOY (Campers laugh at clowns behind closed doors.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: Froufrou
The girl who uses my shared pc at work is filthy.
Im tired of brushing her hair off the desk and other unidentifiable particles of crap. She also speaks like a drunken crack head and I cant understand what the hell she is saying.

Im glad most women I work with arent like her.

23 posted on 02/15/2007 9:00:13 AM PST by No Blue States
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: driftdiver

And then they open the restroom door with the same hands. You know, the one you have to open to get out.

How often do you think maintenance sanitizes the door handle?


24 posted on 02/15/2007 9:02:10 AM PST by Bob J (RIGHTALK.com...a conservative alternative to NPR!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 18 | View Replies]

To: driftdiver
what makes you think that work area isn't organized? I bet he can find everything he needs.

It's the lava lamp and the ancient monitors that scare me. Has the lava lamp been there since the '70's?

Someday, archaeologists will be puzzled by it.

25 posted on 02/15/2007 9:02:16 AM PST by Gorzaloon (Global Warming: A New Kind Of Scientology for the Rest Of Us.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14 | View Replies]

To: No Blue States; COUNTrecount

I was made to move into an office that was occupied by a very filthy woman. After she retired, thank goodness. It was the worst cleaning job I've ever had. Just the thought of it makes me want to hurl...again...


26 posted on 02/15/2007 9:03:00 AM PST by Froufrou
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 23 | View Replies]

To: driftdiver
On a side note I own a tool and die shop, and when you cut hard steel with small sharp carbide endmills you get tiny chips that are far sharper than any needle, and so small you can't see them. We make sure to wash well BEFORE we use the john, there was one case when an employee asked for a pair of tweezers and then went back into the stall for a long, long time. He still hasn't lived that one down....
27 posted on 02/15/2007 9:03:52 AM PST by Abathar (Proudly catching hell for posting without reading the article since 2004)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 18 | View Replies]

To: HOTTIEBOY
Your office desk harbors far more bacteria than your workplace restroom

I heard on the radio a couple months ago that its because of purses. Women will set their purses anywhere: ground, countertops, floors of bathroom stalls, and desks. They don't realize the amount of filth on the bottom of their purse.

28 posted on 02/15/2007 9:07:08 AM PST by toast
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 22 | View Replies]

To: HOTTIEBOY

"Bathrooms in my office are sanitized daily with industrial strength disinfectant. The cubicles are dusted maybe once a week."

****
The work stations at my job are not even dusted. Our cleaning people are spooked by the electronics -- afraid if they touch anything, they might cause trouble or damage everything. So they don't dust. They usually just empty the trash and vacuum. They don't clean. It's up to us workers to dust and clean.


29 posted on 02/15/2007 9:07:09 AM PST by fatnotlazy
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 22 | View Replies]

To: Froufrou

On day shift we come in and there is something stuck to the floor all around her chair, we dont know what it is.
I suggested if we are lucky she is melting.
The other woman I work with is very clean, even going as far as to clean the break room because she just likes it that way.


30 posted on 02/15/2007 9:07:58 AM PST by No Blue States
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 26 | View Replies]

To: Enterprise

Good movie!


31 posted on 02/15/2007 9:08:15 AM PST by jdm
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 20 | View Replies]

To: Froufrou
This report borders on junk science.

Our bodies have more bacteria cells in them than human cells. MOST bacteria in the environment are not virulent pathogens. This report gives us no insight into the genus of the bacteria found. Salmonella? or what?

E. coli on the desktops might represent a risk ...

Perhaps the bacteria are spread by vigorous and frequent conversations ...

dunno.
32 posted on 02/15/2007 9:08:16 AM PST by Blueflag (Res ipsa loquitor)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Froufrou

I have heard tales that would make you hurl. Let's just say we all keep close tabs on who brings what to the "potluck" lunches.


33 posted on 02/15/2007 9:08:40 AM PST by doodad
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 15 | View Replies]

To: TheErnFormerlyKnownAsBig
"The, "he leaves it down" thing is just whining."

Agreed... I think that the toilet seat issue is being taught in some of those 'women's studies' courses at the more prestigious universities.

.... and I image Oprah does a show on it every once in a while as well. Gotta keep the troops focused.

34 posted on 02/15/2007 9:09:45 AM PST by nctexan
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 19 | View Replies]

To: Froufrou

Ping.


35 posted on 02/15/2007 9:10:04 AM PST by scan59 (No matter where you go, there you are.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Froufrou

I had a woman that wanted to move cubes and I would not touch her stuff until she cleaned her debris out of the way. No way. There was a half eaten biscuit, I kid you not, under some paperwork. Foul.


36 posted on 02/15/2007 9:12:27 AM PST by doodad
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 26 | View Replies]

To: Froufrou

Aren't there germs everywhere?


37 posted on 02/15/2007 9:13:36 AM PST by Loyal Buckeye
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: doodad; No Blue States

~guffaw!~ I failed to mention that before this woman retired, when we had potlucks nobody would ever eat what she brought.

Buddy of mine told me she was afraid it was made from "scratch" - and she scratched under the arm when she said it.

Stuff on the floor??? That's just blecht!


38 posted on 02/15/2007 9:13:48 AM PST by Froufrou
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 33 | View Replies]

To: Loyal Buckeye; Blueflag

Of course there are germs everywhere. We just don't know what kind.


39 posted on 02/15/2007 9:14:31 AM PST by Froufrou
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 37 | View Replies]

To: Froufrou

"Men tend to play with their Palm Pilots more," Gerba said. "I think they're playing video games or something."

Something. That's the first time I've heard it called a palm pilot but it seems to fit, in a hairy way, so to speak.


40 posted on 02/15/2007 9:18:13 AM PST by Old Professer (The critic writes with rapier pen, dips it twice, and writes again.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-80 ... 101-102 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson